Thailand reassures foreigners following Bangkok hospital attack

A woman walks past Thai military personnel at the Phramongkutklao Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, May 23, 2017. REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom

Thailand’s foreign ministry on Tuesday reassured the international community that the country would increase security at sensitive locations a day after a bomb exploded at a hospital in the capital Bangkok wounding 24 people.

Thailand has been ruled by a junta since a May 2014 coup. The attack on Monday coincided with the third anniversary of the takeover and the army has blamed the incident on groups opposed to military rule.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack which happened at the military-owned Phramongkutklao Hospital.

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The coup was the 12th military takeover since 1932 when Thailand saw the end of an absolute monarchy.

Junta spokesman Winthai Suvaree said security would be increased following Monday’s attack.

“Any security measures that are not working will need to change,” junta spokesman Winthai told reporters at Bangkok’s Government House.

On May 15, a small bomb went off near the National Theatre in Bangkok’s old quarter, wounding two people. It was not clear who was behind the bomb. An explosion outside a former government lottery office on April 5 wounded two others.

Army chief Chalermchai Sitthisat said on Monday that he believed the two attacks were linked to the hospital attack, adding that the materials used to make the bombs were the same.

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